Fixed-term Parliaments Bill

Debate between Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown and Chris Bryant

Tuesday 18th January 2011 Commons Chamber

[Dr McCrea]

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the Electoral Commission has written to the Deputy Prime Minister on this issue, and the right of the devolved Administrations to lengthen the period by six months? It letter states:

“the Commission believes that there remains a clear need for…research to be carried out”—

forthwith—

“to ensure there is a robust evidence base to inform decisions about the timing of elections in 2015.”

[Chris Bryant]

Yes, I am aware of that and I completely agree with the thrust of what the hon. Gentleman is saying. The Government cannot just pull at individual strings of the constitutional settlement, because we will just end up unravelling the whole jumper: that is the law of unintended consequences, which we are in danger of having thrust upon us.